Machine-tool



J. T. THOMPSON.

MACHINE TOOL. APPLICATION FILED JULY 0| 191 9. 1,368,583. Patented Feb.15, 1921 I w 3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

f as ea 86 57 v 4 8/ c BZUE 9s J. T. THOMPSON.

"MACHINE TOOL. v APYLICATION FILED JULY 10,1919- Patented Feb. 15, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- 1. T. THOMPSON. MACHINE TOOL.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 10, I919.

1921. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- Patented Feb. 15

v 7 6 @x w 6 Qw 1 z w 3 6 mfl .UNITED STATES PATENT orrics.

JOHN TALIAFERRO THOMPSON, 0F NEWPORT, KENTUCKY, AssieNoR 0E ONE-HALF T0THOMAS F. RYAN, OF NEW YoRK, N. Y.

MAcmNE'rooL.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN TALIAFERRO THOMPSON,a citizen of the United States, and resident of Newport, in the countyof Campbell and State of Kentucky, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Machine-Tools, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to an automatic feed for machine tools and moreparticularly to a feeding belt which is adapted to automatically clampthe stock in relation to the belt, feed it past a cutting tool andautomatically release the stock after work has been performed upon it.

In the quantity production of machine parts or of small articles, thecost of production is largely determined by the item of labor. If thework to be done upon an article by any single operation is smallcompared with the labor of setting up the workin the machine ready forthe operation, the

labor cost then largely exceeds all other costs incident to theproduction of thear' ticle. Any reduction therefore in the time consumedin setting up work in the machine decreases to a great extent the costof production. It is therefore the principal object of my invention toreduce the time and labor consumed in setting up articles or machineparts for operations thereupon, to secure a simple and efficient meansfor feeding articles to an operating means or tool, to provide automaticmeans for securely holding the articles while work is being performedupon them and automatically to release and drop the finished articles.Afurther object of the invention is to provide means whereby thearticles may be fed past the tool or operating means during theperformance of work upon the articles or may be fed up to the tool Oroperating means and held stationary during the performance of work. Afurther object is to provide means whereby if stock is improperly set inthe chucks thefeeding means is automatically stopped before the tool isendangered.

In order that the nature of my invention may be more clearly understoodI have illustrated one embodiment of the inventionin the accompanyingdrawings. bodiment the invention has been shown by way of exampleapplied to a milling machine, but it is to be clearly understood thatthe invention is as well adapted for use in any machine tool either forworking on Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 10, 1919. Serial No.ao9,ss2.

In this em-- Patented Feb. 15, 1921.

metal or wood, or for use in any machine inwhich it is desired tosuccessively feed a large number of articles past mechanism foroperating thereupon.

In'the drawings,-

F gure 1 is a front elevational view of a mlllmg machine provided withmy improved feeding attachment;

F g. 2 is a side elevational view of the mill ng machine shown in Fig.1; I

Fig. 3 1s a transverse section through the pedestal of the machine online 3-3 of Fig. 2 showing the gearing for driving the feedmgattachment;

F 1g. 4 1s a partial vertical section through the pedestal showingtransmission gearin for dr vmg the feeding attachment eitheI'intermlttently or at a variable speed;

F1g. 5 1s a detail showing two feeding belt links and the chuck jawswhich they shown in Fig. 5;

' Fig. 7 is a detail view showing a modified chuck having both jawsfixed, a jig positioned within the chuck jaws;

Fig. 8 1s a top view of the jig shown in 1 1g. 7 ;and

Fig. 9 is a detail of the clamp for preventing the feeding belt andstock from chattering when under the cutting tool.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, I have shown a millingmachine havmg a pedestal 1 provided with a vertical track 2. Traversableupon the track 2 by means of a hand wheel 4 is a carriage This carriageis provided at its upper end with a horizontal bracket 5 provided with ahorizontal track 6. Traversable upon the track 6 by means of a screw 7is a table 8.

Journaled in the ends of the table 8 in suitable journals are shafts 9and 10 carrying sprocket wheels 11 and 12. The sprocket wheel 12 turnsidly on shaft 10, and sprocket wheel 11 is splined to the shaft 9 to beturned thereby.

The shaft 9 is driven from the horizontal shaft 13 carried by the table8, through gears 14, 15 and 16, the gear 16 being splined to shaft 13but slidable thereon. splined upon the shaft 13 is a bevel gear 17 withwhich a .bevel gear 18 meshes. The gear 18 is mounted upon the upper endof vertical shaft 19 journaled in bearings 20 and 21 carried by thevertically travel-sable car- 1 riage 3. Splined to the shaft 19, butlongitudi-nally movable thereon is a bevel gear 22 ered or traversedhorizontally to position work carried thereby with respect to thecutting tool, while maintaining a driving connection between the shaft24 and the sprocket wheel 11. Mounted upon the table 8 and belted oversprocket wheels 11 and 12 isa stock feeding belt 25, the nature of whichwill hereinafter more fully appear.

'For the purpose of driving the shaft 24 and thereby driving feed belt25, I have provided transmission gearing shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Thisgearing comprises a driving gear 26 journaled upon stub shaft 27mounted'in bracket 28 attached to-the pedestal 1 by stud bolts 29.Integrally connected to the gear 26 is a pinion 30 which meshes with agear 31 fast on shaft 32 journaled in bearings 33 and 34. The shaft 32is also provided with an elliptical driving gear 35 and an intermittentgear 36'. These gears 35 and 36 mesh with similar gears 37 and 38loosely mounted upon shaft 24. Slidable along but splined to the shaft24 between gears 37 and 38 and adapted to engage the clutch membersformed upon the hubs thereof is a clutch member 39. When the clutchmem-' ber 39 is in engagement with the gear 37 as shown in Fig. 3, thefeed belt is driven at a variable speed, and when the member is inengagement with gear 38 the belt is driven intermittently. For thepurpose of moving the feed belt to position a piece of stock in properrelation to the cutter as in initially setting the machine for aspecified type of work, a hand wheel 80 is provided on the end of theshaft 24. I

Mounted in journals in the upper end of pedestal 1 and above table 8 isa shaft 40 carrying a driving gear 41, a gear 42 and a milling cutter43. The shaft 40 is driven from a motor 44 through reduction gears 45,46, 47. J ournaled in bearings 48 and 19 carried by the pedestal 1 is avertically disposed shaft 50 carrying gears 51 and 52, meshingrespectively with gear 41 on the cutter spindle 40 and with gear 26 onstub shaft 27. I I For the purpose of shifting the clutch member 39 tostop the carriage 25 or drive it variably or intermittently the member39 may be shifted along shaft 24 by means of yoke 53 embraced betweenflanges 54 and 55 on member 39. The yoke 53 is provided with a bellcrank arm 56 and is journaled in the pedestal 1 on. shaft 57. The arm 56is connected by a link 58 to a treadle 59 which is pi voted to thepedestal at 60'. In one position of the treadle, as illustrated in Fig.1, the gear 37 is clutched to the shaft 24 and gears 35 and 37 drive thebelt 25 at a vari- Lseepea able speed, i. e., faster when bringing stocktoward the cutter than when the stock is being fed past the cutter.

When the treadle'is pressed toward the left as viewed in Fig. 1, untilthe two arms of the treadle lie substantially in a horizontal plane,through the action of link 58 and yoke 53, the sliding clutch member 39becomes disengaged from gear 37 and remains in a position intermediateof and out of engagement with both gears 37 and 38. The belt 25thereupon receives no power and remains stationary. When the treadle 59is depressed toward the left to its extreme limit, the clutch member 39is moved into engagement with gear 38 and the-feed belt is drivenintermittently through gears 36 and 38, z. e., the belt is advanced fora predetermined period to bring stock beneath the cutter 43 and is thenheld stationary for a further predetermined period while the cutterperforms its cutting operation upon the stock.

The feed belt 25 above referred to comprises chucks shown more in detailin Figs. 5 and 6 forming links of the belt. Each chuck comprises twochuck members or jaws carried by separate links of .the belt, one member61 being formed integral with a link and the other member .62 beingadjustable relative to the link 63which carries. it for the purpose ofadjusting the distance between the chuck jaws to accommodate stock ofdifferent thicknesses. To permit this adjustment the member 62 isconnected to the link by a dovetail tongue 64. Set screws65 carried inlugs66 on link 63 bear against the member 62 for adjusting it withrespect to link 63. After adjustment the member may be clamped in itsadjusted position by bolt 67. By referring to Fig. 1 it will be evidentthat as the belt moves over sprocket 12, the jaws of the chuck beincarried by adjoin ing links of the belt, t e jaws are opened and stockmay be readily inserted. As the jaws move over the top ofthe sprocketthe jaws gradually close upon the stock gripping 1t securely This gripupon the stock is retained until the stock has been carried across table8, when'as the jaws move down over sprocket wheel 11, they openreleasing thestock.

' InjFigs. 7 and 8 I have shown a jig for holding a small irregularlyshaped iece of- '71 which are arranged to engage in openingsin themember 69 for alining the two -members of the jig. The jig is providedwith substantially parallel outer faces 72 belt as the belt passes upover the sprocket 10 wheel 12. 1

In order that the stock held by the chucks of the feed belt may notchatter under the action of the cutting tool, the belt is held firmlyagainst the table 8 by clamps 74. The clamps 74 are slidably secured onsupports 75 being held thereto by bolts 76,

,and capable of adjustment thereon by means of set screws 77. The clampsmay thus be moved laterally over the edges of the belt and also over theedges of the stock if desired. The support 75 may in turn be raised andlowered with respect to the table 8 by means of bolt 78 and set screws79 to adjust the pressure of the clamp 74 against the belt.

It may sometimes happen in the operation of the machine that a piece ofstock will be inaccurately positioned in a chuck 60 of the feed belt insuch a manner that it would project to too great an extent above thetable 8 of the machine and thus cause the cut ting tool 43 to make anexcessive out therein. This would not only spoil that particular pieceof stock but endanger the cutting tool. To obviate this difficulty Ihave provided an automatic throw out devicev for stopping the feed beltwhen a pieceof stock approaches the cutter which would,through itsexcessive projection above the table 8, endanger the cutting tool. Thisdevice is best illustrated in Fig. 1 and comprises a rack 81 slidable inthe support 82 which is suitably secured to the pedestal l above thetable 8. The rack bar 81 at its end toward the cutter 43, is providedwith a clamping head 83 within which a downwardly extending finger 84may be adjustably secured by a bolt 85. Journaled in the support 82above the rack 81 is a rocker-shaft 86 provided upon its forward endwith a segmental gear 87 which meshes with the rack 81, and upon itsrear end with an arm 88. The arm 88 is connected by a link 89 to an arm90 formed integrally with the hub of the clutch shifting yoke 53. Theconnection between the link 89 and the arm 90 is by a pin and slotconstruction as shown at 91 and 92 in Fig. 1. A spring 93 surroundingthe rack bar 81 and positioned between the collar 94 on the bar and thesupport. 82 is i the machine.

fore traveling at a variable speed, if a piece of stock approaches thecutting tool which projects too far above the table 8, the stock willengage the end of gage finger 84 and move the rack bar 81 forwardlyagainst the tension of spring 93 toward the cutter as the belt continuesits movement. This forward movement of the rack bar will cause, throughthe engagement of segmental gear 87 with the rack bar, a rockingmovement of the shaft 86 which is transmitted to the clutch yoke 53through the arm 88, link 89 and arm 90. This movement results inthrowing the clutch member 39 out of engagement with the driving gear 37before the stock has advanced into engagement with the cutting tool, andthe consequent sto ping of the feed belt.

25 thereupon travels across the table 8 at a' variable speed, relativelyfast in bringing a set of chuck jaws 60' into proximity to the cutter 43and more slowly during the period in which the chuck is passing beneaththe cutter. As successive chucks 60 pass upwardly over the sprocketwheel 12 at the right-hand end of the machine, the j aws' of the chucksopen permitting the operator to insert pieces of stock therebetween orif the stock cannot be accurately gripped by the chuckpermitting him toinsert stock which has previously been assembled in jigs as abovedescribed. As the feed belt 25 passes off of sprocket wheel 12 upon thehorizontal table 8 the jaws of the chucks 60 close upon the pieces ofstock securely holding them therein.

As successive chucks approach the central region of the table 8 beneaththe cutter the edges of the belt links move beneath the adjustableclamps 74 whereby they are held firmly against the table 8 and preventedfrom releasing the stock from the chuck jaws while the cutter isoperating upon the stock. The clamps 74 also prevent the r After chucksholding finished pieces of stock have left the central region of table8, the feel belt 25 carries them down over sprocket wheel 11 at theleft-hand end of As the belt passes downwardly over this sprocket wheelthe chucks 60' open releasing the finished pieces of stock. Should theoperator desire to perform machining operations upon the stock requiringthe stock to be held stationary during such operations, he would depressconstruction, which renders the machine far more efficient, whichenables the operator to rapidly and accurately position pieces of stockthereon to be fed past a cutting tool, which automatically releases thestock after the tool has made its out, and which may be operated eitherat a variable speed or intermittently in accordance with the nature ofthe operations to be performed.

What I claim is:

1. In a machine tool or the like, a cutting tool, a table, an endlesscarriage comprising a linked belt arranged to be traversed over saidtable past said tool, said belt being provided with stock engagingchucks, and

means for restraining the stock while being operated upon by the toolincluding a guide under which the stock is adapted to slide.

2. In a machine tool or the like, a cutting tool, a table, anendless-carriage comprising a linked belt-arranged to be traversed oversaid table past said tool, said belt being provided with stock engagingchucks, and

means for restraining the stock while being operated upon bythe tool,said means having a stationary -guide overhanging the stock in closerelationship thereto so that the belt is free to move thereunder but isrestrained from movement away from the table.

3. In a machine tool or the like, a cutting tool, a table, an endlesscarriage comprising a linked belt arranged to be traversed over saidtable past said tool, said belt being provided with stock engagingchucks, and means for restraining the stock while being operated upon bythe tool including surfaces for engaging both the belt and the stock.

4. In a machine tool or the like, a cutting tool, a table, an endlesscarriage comprlsing a linked belt arranged to be traversed over saidtable past said tool, said belt being provided with stock engagingchucks, and means for restraining the stock while being operated uponbythe tool, said means having stationary guides overhanging the belt andstock in close relationship thereto with surfaces engaging the belt andthe stock respectively, said surfaces being so spaced from the tablethat the belt and stock are free to move thereunder but are restrainedfrom movement away from said table.

5. In a machine tool or the like, a cutting tool, a table, an endlesscarriage comprising masses a linked belt arranged to be traversed oversaid table past said tool, said belt being provi ded with stock engagingchucks, and means for restraining the stock while being operated upon bythe tool, said means having stock-engaging members adjustable lengthwiseof the stock.

6. In a machine tool or the like, a cutting tool, a table, an endlesscarriage comprising a linked belt arranged to be traversed over saidtable past said tool, said belt being provided with stock engagingchucks, and means for restraining the stock while being operated upon bythe tool, said means havmg stationary guides overhanging the belt andstock in close relationship thereto with surfa ces engaging the belt andthe stock respectively, said surfaces being so spaced from the tablethat the belt and stock are free to move thereunder but are restrainedfrom movement away from said table, said guides being adjustableconjointly as a unit.

7. In a machine tool or the like, a cutting tool, a table, an endlesscarriage comprising a linked belt arranged to be traversed over saidtable past said tool, said belt being provided with stock engagingchucks, and means for restraining the stock while being operated upon bythe tool, said means having stationary guides overhanging the belt andstock in close relationship thereto with surfaces engaging the belt andthe stock respectively, said surfaces being so spaced from the tablethat the belt and stock are free to move thereunder but are restrainedfrom movement away from said table, said guides being adjustablerelatively to each other.

8. In a machine tool or the like, a cutting tool, a table, an endlesscarriage comprising a linked belt arranged to be traversed over saidtable past said tool, said belt being provided with stock engagingchucks, and means for restraining the stock while being operated upon bythe tool, said means havlng sta tionary guides overhanging the belt andstock in close relationship'thereto with surfaces engaging the belt andthe stock respec tively, said surfaces being so spaced from the tablethat the belt and stock are free to move. thereunder but are restrainedfrom movement away from said table,-said guides beingadjustablerelatively to each other and conjointly as a unit.

9. In a machine tool or the like, a cutting tool, a table, an endlesscarriage comprising a linked belt arranged to be traversed over saidtable past said tool, said belt being provided with stock engagingchucks, and means for restraining the stock while being operated upon bythe tool, said means having stationary guides overhanging the belt andstock in close relationship is ereto with surfaces engaging the belt andthe stock respectively, said surfaces being so spaced from the tablethat the belt and stock are free to move thereunder but are restrainedfrom movement away from said table, said guides being adjustablerelatively to each other along the plane of the table and conjointly asa unit transversely of said plane.

'10. In a machine tool or the like, a stock supporting carriagecomprising a linked belt having sets of opposed chuck jaws one set oneach of the successive sets of juxtaposed links, one jaw of each setbeing bodily movable toward and from the other jaw of the set and means.for positively holding the movable jaws in position.

11. In a machine tool or the like, a cutting tool, sprocket wheels, anda stock feeding belt geared to said sprocket wheels, said beltcomprising links provided at their pintle connections with sets ofopposing chuck jaws for gripping the stock, said jaws being arrangedtoopen to receive stock to be worked as said belt passes up over one ofsaid sprocket wheels, to close and grip the stock as the belt passeshorizontally beneath said tool and to open again releasing the finishedstock as the belt passes downward over the other sprocket wheels, onejaw of each set being bodily adjustable toward and from the other jaw ofthe set and means for positively holding the adjustable jaws inposition.

12. In a machine tool or the like, a cutting tool, a table, an endlesscarriage comprising a linked belt arranged to be traversed over saidtable and beneath said tool, said belt being provided with automatically"opening and closing chuck jaws for gripping stock, and means forpreventing chattering of the stock carried thereby while being workedupon by said tool, said means having stationary guides overhanging themarginal portions of the belt in 'close relationship thereto so that thebelt is 'free to move thereunder but is restrained from movement awayfrom said table.

13. In a machine tool or the like, a cutting tool, a table, an endlesscarriage comprising a linked belt arranged to be traversed over saidtable and beneath said tool, said belt being provided with automaticallyopening and closing chuck jaws for gripping stock, and adjustable guidesjuxtaposed to each edge of said belt for preventing chattering of thestock carried thereby while being worked upon by said tool, said guideshaving flanges overhanging the marginal portions of the belt in closerelationship thereto so that the belt is free to move thereunder but isrestrained from movement away from said table.

14:. In a machine tool or the like, a cutting tool, an endless carriageprovided with automatically opening and closing chucks,- gearing forvariably driving said carriage, and means for shifting said gearingwhereby said chucks may be advanced at a variable speed in successionpast said tool or successively brought to rest in proximity to saidtool.

15. In a machine tool or the like, a cutting tool, an endless carriageprovided with automatically opening and closing chucks, means fordriving said carriage, and means for automatically stopping saidcarriage when the stock engaged in said chucks is so posi-.

tioned therein as to endanger said tool.

16. In a machine tool or the like, a cutwhen the stockis so positionedin Said chucks as to endanger said tool.

17. In a machine tool or the like, a cutting tool, an endless carriageprovided with automatically opening and closing chucks,

means for driving said carriage, a clutch for, connectlng anddisconnecting said ClI'lVlIlg' means, manual means for operating saidclutch, and automatic means adapted to be engaged by stock carried bysaid chucks for throwing said clutch to disconnect said driving meanswhen the stock is so positioned in said chucks as to endanger said tool.Y

18. In a machine tool or the like, a cutting tool, a traveling carriageprovided with chucks to hold stock in position to be engaged by saidcutting'tool as the stock is carried past the tool by the carriage, andmeans for automatically stopping said carriage when the stock engaged insaid chucks is so positioned therein as to endanger said tool.

19. In a machine tool or the like, a cutting tool, a traveling carriageprovided with s,

chucks to hold stock in position to be engaged by said cutting tool asthe stock is carried past the tool by the carriage, and means forautomatically stopping said carriage when the stock engaged in saidchucks is so positioned therein as to endanger said tool, said meansincluding a control member extending into the path of the stock when thestock is in a danger position; i

20. In a machine tool or the like, a cut ting tool, a traveling carriageprovided with chucks to hold stock in position to be engaged by saidcutting tool as the stock is carried past the tool by the carriage,means for driving said carriage, a clutch for connecting anddisconnecting said driving means, and means adapted to be engaged bystock'carried by said chucks for throwing said clutch to disconnect saiddriving means when the stock is so positioned in said chucks as toendanger the tool.

Signed by'me at Boston, Massachusetts, this twenty-sixth day of June,1919.

, JOHN TALIAFERRO THOMPSON.

